1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to labelling containers and, more particularly, to a container having a label beneath a coating thereover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The application of labels to containers generally occurs where the container is filled so as to conform to the contents without fear of mix-up. This procedure is costly and requires substantial capital investment by a bottler, shipper, distributor, or the like. Further, the protection of labels once they are attached to a container is a serious problem. Containers are frequently subjected to rough treatment on high volume mass production lines, during shipment, and during subsequent handling for display and sale.
Various techniques have been devised to overcome the abrasion problem such as the application of lubricant coatings or the use of extra strong labels such as metallic laminates or fused plastic bands. Some manufacturers have sought to overcome the problem by applying decorative or printed matter directly upon the surface of the container. Of course, this requires complicated printing apparatus and the use of ceramic or resinous inks which will adhere tenaciously to the container surfaces without fear of being rubbed or chipped off. It has been suggested to heat shrink a thermoplastic material over a label or have the heat-shrinkable material printed with the desired label information. Quite often this results in distortion of the printed or decorative material on the label and, requires the use of special inks that will adhere to the shrinkable material. A further disadvantage is that the heat-shrinking sleeve is by necessity relatively thick such that its covering of a label or printed material on a container results in visual obstruction or distortion. Still further, a problem with heat-shrinking a thermoplastic sleeve about a container is that a different sleeve will be required for each of the various sized containers. The problems and disadvantages inherent with this are obvious.